


"A New Puppy!"

by TheWritingFox



Series: Wolf Tracks [1]
Category: Steam Powered Giraffe
Genre: Fluff and Humor, Gen, brief mentions of violence, minor injury
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-01
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:55:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28487907
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheWritingFox/pseuds/TheWritingFox
Summary: An unexpected visitor arrives at Walter Manor one full moon night.
Series: Wolf Tracks [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2086764
Comments: 9
Kudos: 4





	"A New Puppy!"

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to S.J's first story! I hope to eventually write a long series about her in the future (once I get enough inspiration, lol). Sage may occasioanlly pop up in future additions to The Sparky Chronicles.

_Yellow eyes seemed to glow in the full moon's light. After a moment's hesitation, a large brown wolf darts across the highway, successfully avoiding the cars until a large pickup truck barrels down the road going at least three times the speed limit. The truck hits the wolf, glancing her shoulder and sending her spinning into the ditch with a yelp of pain. The trucks front fender was bent inwards from the impact and it screeched sideways to a halt, blocking another lane of traffic._

_The wolf looks up, wincing in pain as she then quickly limps away into the surrounding brush, picking up the brown satchel that fell out of her mouth from the impact. Her wounds would heal, but not quickly enough, she could feel every small gash and bruised bone, but she pushed past it. Can't afford to be caught by animal control. Hearing the sirens wail from the highway behind her made her quicken the pace into a run. Soon the sounds of the road were far behind her, it seemed she was entering the outskirts of a residential area. The pain was making hard to focus, her vision was growing black and fuzzy around the edges as she stumbles to a stop in what she thinks is a large front lawn. Collapsing in the cool grass, her eyes flutter shut. A short nap would help, she thinks hazily. It wouldn't be the first time she woke up naked on a front lawn._

**○○○○**

The annoying ping of their cellphones woke up Walter Workers Chelsea and Camille. It was an alert from BEEBOP, he had detected an intruder on the property. Camille grabs her giant wrench with a sigh. The last time the Manor's AI had detected something, it turned out to be a raccoon. Chelsea gave her a sympathetic look and grabbed her own wrench before heading out of their room and leading the way. The Workers run into Zer0 on the way out.

When asked what he was doing up so late, he replied; "I was trying to find the mouse I saw earlier, I know he wanted to be friends", then offered to come with the Workers.

The Walter Workers with Zer0 in tow step outside the Manor, they see the large brown shape laying prone on the lawn and bring it inside with Zer0's help. Once they deposited the large animal in the kitchen, they get a better look at it.

"Is it a husky?" Camille asks as she brings in the first aid kit.

"I don't think so", Chelsea shakes her head and accepts the kit from her sister. "Huskies can get big, but this dog's huge."

"I don't care what the breed is, having a new puppy is gonna be so cool!" Zer0 says happily from where he knelt on the floor and pet the animal's head gently.

"Zer0, we don't know if we can even keep this dog yet", Chelsea tells him as she wraps a bandage around the dogs forepaw, "we'll have to check and see if this dog is missing first. Besides do you really think Six will want a big dog like this in the Manor, especially with Marshmallow to worry about?"

"Aww, but she's just a puppy, and she's hurt too." Zer0 argues with a slight frown. 

Chelsea and Camille exchange looks. They weren't going to argue with Zer0, best leave the final decision to Six in the morning.

"What makes you think she's a girl?", asks Camille curiously, trying to change the subject.

"Just a feeling." Zer0 shrugs, "the same way I know she likes ice cream."

"There. I think we've done all we can so far. I didn't feel anything broken when we picked her up." Chelsea says as she finishes wrapping the last bandage then stands up, "we can always take her to the vet tomorrow if we need to, she should be okay for the night in any case."

Camille and Zer0 agreed. Before they left to go back to bed, Zer0 scurried off to to get a blanket and wrap it around the "puppy", bidding her goodnight.

○○○○

The next morning surprised everyone. The Walter Workers are usually the first ones up, but today was different. When they entered the kitchen, a strange young woman clothed in nothing more than a blanket was making pancakes and eggs.

"Oh, hello! How do you like your eggs? I'm Sage by the way." the brown haired woman told them with a smile when she turned around. "Thanks for patching me up."

The Workers look at each other then back to Sage. Chelsea shrugs and rolls with it. This is Walter Manor after all, the unexpected was common here. The blue haired woman smiles at Sage and introduces herself and Camille. The other Walter Worker was still sort of in shock as she looked at Sage, noting the bandages on her arms and of course the blanket wrapped around her. This girl couldn't possibly be the dog from last night?

"C'mon Six, I can't wait to show you the new puppy!" Zer0's voice cheerfully rings out from down the hall leading to the kitchen. Peter Walter the Sixth could be heard grumbling slightly as he was lead by the arm into the kitchen.

The Walter descendant froze when he saw Sage, who waved at him then turned back to flip over a pancake on the skillet. Even through the mask, his confusion was obvious.

"Um, okay...." Six blinks behind his mask, "and who are you?"

Sage smiles at him. "Guess there's no point in making a story up. I'm Sage Juniper, friends can call me SJ or Juni. I'm a werewolf. I got hit by a truck last night and collapsed outside. Chelsea and Camille patched me up," she slides some pancakes on a plate and offers it to Peter. "It's a lot to process, I know. You want some pancakes?"

"Oh. I'm Peter Walter the Sixth. Welcome to the Manor....Thanks", he accepts the plate then walks over to the table and sits down, still mulling this scenario over in his head. "A werewolf huh? Can't say I've met anyone like you before." 

"Not many people have" Sage laughs a little and turns the skillet off.

Zer0 had been looking at Sage from the kitchen doorway, trying to process what was going on. She looked nothing like the puppy, he decided. Many questions buzzed through his processors.

"You're saying that YOU were the puppy last night? Hmmm, I don't know. I believe you, but can you prove it?" Zer0 asks Sage.

"Sure thing big guy," she replies in a laid back tone and a moment later her form morphs into a big brown wolf who blinks her yellowish gold eyes at him and wags her tail.

"Omigosh! It IS you!" A delighted smile spread across Zer0's face as he sees his "puppy" again.

Wolf Sage jumps up on Zer0 to lick his cheek, front paws on his chest for support. The Walter Workers and Peter watched in disbelief. There was a real werewolf in the kitchen. That had to be a first, even for Walter Manor. Before she shifted back, Sage crawled under the blanket so she wouldn't embarrass anyone. Soon she stands back up on two legs, the blanket wrapped around her as before.

"Dude, you're really a robot," she says in awe, "I didn't know what to think, but wow! That's really cool." Sage looks at Zer0 in wonder, a real robot! How cool.

"You're really a werewolf! I didn't introduce myself, my names Zer0 and yeah! I'm a real life robot! Been one my whole life. Oh! Just wait til Rabbit and Spine and Sparky meet you! It's gonna be great!" Zer0 was so excited he couldn't help but ramble excitedly. "There's plenty of space here at the Manor, we can get your room ready for you! What's your favorite color?"

"Whoa, nice to meet you Zer0, but slow down my dude," Sage laughs, "I'm just here to make breakfast as a thank you, then I'm out of your hair."

"Oh, okay." Zer0 looked crestfallen. 

"But I'd be happy to meet your friends before I go, if that's okay with the boss man", Sage adds with a nod to Peter and pats Zer0 on the shoulder and gives him small smile. "Just let me find my satchel so I can change my clothes beforehand, okay?", she laughs.

Zer0 shows her the way to the front door and helps look for her satchel while Peter and Workers talk amongst themselves in the kitchen. Sage and Zer0 return a few minutes later, the woman now dressed in a t shirt and cut off pants, her shoulder length brown hair pulled up into a pony tail. Peter decides it would be best to ask her a few questions in the privacy of one of the libraries just down hall.

"I don't mean to pry, but are you in danger?" Peter asks as he sits down on one of the sofas, indicating for Sage to sit in the armchair across from him. "I couldn't help but notice the scars on your back earlier, if you need help we'll certainly try our best." The Walter descendant adjusts the mask covering his face and waits for her reply.

"Not immediately, but I've been on the run from some pretty bad folks." Sage answers with a sigh, "That's why I don't stay in one place for very long."

Peter leans back in his seat, thinking before he answers. "You're welcome to stay if you'd like. The Manor is safe. Who are the people after you?"

"I...can stay?" Sage blinks at the offer, a bit surprised before continuing in a non-plussed tone, as if it were a common occupation. "Oh, they're werewolf hunters. I think I shook 'em off in Oregon though" she adds thoughtfully.

The Walter descendant nods his head. "No one should ever be running for their lives. I think there's a reason you ended up here. So yes, of course you can stay." Peter notices a strange expression cross her face. "What's wrong?"

"Just...no one has ever done this for me before. Normally they're terrified of me." Sage tilts her head at him, "You're a strange fellow, Mr. Walter. Thank you for the invitation, but if I'm gonna stay, I don't wanna be a freeloader."

Peter laughs a little. "You're welcome. I'll talk to the Walter Workers, they help maintain the bots. Perhaps you'd like to train as a Worker? Or the Manor could always use extra security if that's more your style."

The werewolf grins. "How about both? I couldn't help but notice there's no front door."

At Peter's request, Sage then goes on to explain briefly that she's been on the run for about five years, always being careful wherever she stopped and jokingly saying that twenty year olds would normally be out partying or something, not running for their lives. It was clear this was still a traumatizing experience to recall, despite her laid back way of storytelling. There were parts left out of her story, but that was fine. Peter only wanted to know the most relevant pieces of information for the time being, namely if he needed to prepare for men in black suits to come knocking on the metaphorical door. 

Thanking Sage for the information, they exit the library a while later and head to living room 2, where the other bots have gathered, excited to meet the Manor's newest resident.

Sage looks at the new robots in awe. Zer0 was awesome but the others were amazing too. The tall, dapper looking silver bot introduced himself as The Spine. The smaller, redheaded copper bot next to him happily introduced herself as Sparky and gently hugged Sage around the waist. Standing at five foot, seven inches, Sage found that the short copper bot only came up to her chest.

The other Walter siblings introduced themselves, Rabbit, Hatchworth and Zer0, even though he had already done so earlier.

The werewolf was amazed at all the colorful residents of the Manor, it was immediately clear to her that this was a close family of sorts.

The clattering of metal hooves interrupts the easy conversation amongst herself and the bots. A small robot giraffe skids around the corner and into the room. A ring of garlic was strung around her neck and several tooth picks were firmly grasped in her metal muzzle.

"Guys! Why are you all standing here? QWERTY told me a werewolf was in the Manor! I've come prepared!" GG exclaims around the toothpicks, a few falling to the ground in the process. "Oh hey, who's the new girl?"

Walter Manor was going to be an adventure and Sage was ready for it.

**Author's Note:**

> In her wolf form, Sage is about two times bigger than the average gray wolf.


End file.
